diff --git a/src/lxc/stop.c b/src/lxc/stop.c
index b751af51b..f441e46c6 100644
--- a/src/lxc/stop.c
+++ b/src/lxc/stop.c
@@ -83,8 +83,14 @@ extern int lxc_stop_callback(int fd, struct lxc_request *request,
 	int ret;
 
 	answer.ret = kill(handler->pid, SIGKILL);
-	if (!answer.ret)
-		return 0;
+	if (!answer.ret) {
+		ret = lxc_unfreeze(handler->name);
+		if (!ret)
+			return 0;
+
+		ERROR("failed to unfreeze container");
+		answer.ret = ret;
+	}
 
 	ret = send(fd, &answer, sizeof(answer), 0);
 	if (ret < 0) {